Simple Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth Process as a Strategy for Photonic Integration on Silicon

In this paper we propose a strategy to achieve monolithic integration of III-Vs on Si for photonic integration through a simple process. By mimicking the SiO₂/Si/SiO₂ waveguide necessary to couple light from the gain medium on its top, we adopt a ~2 μm thick silicon dioxide mask for epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELOG) of InP on Si. The ELOG InP layer as wells as the subsequently grown quantum wells (~1. 55 μm) have been analyzed by photoluminescence and transmission electron microscopy and found to have high optical quality and very good interface. The studies are strategically important for a monolithic platform that holds great potential in addressing the future need to have an integrated platform consisting of both III-Vs and Si on same chip.